Evening Prayer 6.9.16, St. Columba, Apostle of Scotland, 597

Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.

Washington National Cathedral announced yesterday that it will remove the Confederate battle flag from two stained glass windows, while retaining the rest of the images, create an educational display about them and engage the community in discussions about racism. The cathedral said the windows were originally built in 1953 as symbols of “reconciliation between North and South” – white people, that is; to black folk they’ve always been racist icons. The cathedral’s repentance comes during a wave of public Confederate removals due to the massacre of African-American churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina a year ago. This window shows Confederate General Stonewall Jackson in a pious pose; most visitors didn’t know the Confederate windows even existed, but clergy and staff did and raised the subject for public debate. (kuow.org)

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because God is at my right hand, I shall not fall. Psalm 16:7-8

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Hymn: Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Psalm 74

1  O God, why have you utterly cast us off? *
why is your wrath so hot against the sheep of your pasture?
2  Remember your congregation that you purchased long ago, *
the tribe you redeemed to be your inheritance,
and Mount Zion where you dwell.
3  Turn your steps toward the endless ruins; *
the enemy has laid waste everything in your sanctuary.
4  Your adversaries roared in your holy place; *
they set up their banners as tokens of victory.
5  Like those who come with axes to a grove of trees; *
they broke down all your carved work with hatchets and hammers.
6  They set fire to your holy place; *
they defiled the dwelling-place of your Name
and razed it to the ground.
7  They said to themselves, “Let us destroy them altogether.” *
They burned down all the meeting-places of God in the land.
8  There are no signs for us to see;
there is no prophet left; *
there is not one among us who knows how long.
9  How long, O God, will the adversary scoff? *
will the enemy blaspheme your Name for ever?
10  Why do you draw back your hand? *
why is your right hand hidden in your bosom?
11  Yet God is my Sovereign from ancient times, *
victorious in the midst of the earth.
12  You divided the sea by your might *
and shattered the heads of the dragons upon the waters;
13  You crushed the heads of Leviathan *
and gave it to the people of the desert for food.
14  You split open spring and torrent; *
you dried up ever-flowing rivers.
15  Yours is the day, yours also the night; *
you established the moon and the sun.
16  You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; *
you made both summer and winter.
17  Remember, O LORD, how the enemy scoffed, *
how a foolish people despised your Name.
18  Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; *
never forget the lives of your poor.
19  Look upon your covenant; *
the dark places of the earth are haunts of violence.
20  Let not the oppressed turn away ashamed; *
let the poor and needy praise your Name.
21  Arise, O God, maintain your cause; *
remember how fools revile you all day long.
22  Forget not the clamor of your adversaries, *
the unending tumult of those who rise up against you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE LESSON
Matthew 16:13-20 (NRSV)

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Canticle: The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm, *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones, *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things, *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.

Scenes from the life of St. Columba, Apostle of Scotland. He was born in Ireland with missionary zeal, then made his way to northern Britain, where he evangelized the Picts from his headquarters on the island of Iona. (Br. Kenneth Holsey, O.P.)

Collect of the Day: Columba, Abbot of Iona, 597

O God, by the preaching of your blessed servant Columba you caused the light of the Gospel to shine in Scotland: Grant, we pray, that, having his life and labors in remembrance, we may show our thankfulness to you by following the example of his zeal and patience; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for the Presence of Christ

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.

Thursday Evening Prayer List

For Sobriety & Recovery
For Those with Addictions

O blessed Lord, you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion on all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears that beset them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love. Amen.

For Those with Mental Illness
alt. Dinah Danby

O heavenly Father, we beseech you to have mercy upon all your children who are living with mental illness. Give them loving and supportive families and friends, and bless their caregivers with wisdom and compassion. Restore them to strength of mind and cheerfulness of spirit, and give them health and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Mission of the Church

Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to yourself: We praise and bless you for those whom you have sent in the power of the Spirit to preach the Gospel to all nations. We thank you that in all parts of the earth a community of love has been gathered together by their prayers and labors, and that in every place your servants call upon your Name; for the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours for ever. Amen.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21++

VIDEO: The King of love my shepherd is (#645, St. Columba, Irish folk tune; Henry Williams Baker, para. Psalm 23) – Trinity Church, Wall Street, New York, 2012